Niall Kearney leads the charge of the home competitors at the Horizon Irish Open having shot a stunning 68 on the first day of play at Mount Juliet Golf Club.
Kearney's 68 see's him on four under par, tied with fellow Irishman Seamus Power for a tie of 14th midway through the first round of the Irish Open. Kearney is three shots clear of Shane Lowry, while Padraig Harrington, fresh from winning the US Senior Open on Sunday, is currently 3-under thru 13 holes.
So it's Kearney leading the Irish charge midway through day one. But who exactly is Niall Kearney? Well, read on to find out everything you need to know.
READ MORE: Power best of the home contenders as New Zealand's Ryan Fox takes early Irish Open lead
Where is he from?
Niall Kearney is a proud Dubliner.
His hoe club is Royal County Dublin.
How old is he?
Kearney is 34 years old, and his birthday is March 10th 1988.
How did his amateur career go?
Kearney had an exceptional amateur career. He rose through the ranks during a golden age for Irish golf, frequently going toe-to-toe with the likes of Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy.
Stand out victories for Kearney include The Irish Boys Championship, South of Ireland Championship, The Nassau Invitational (USA) and The Brabazon Trophy which secured his position as the only Irishman on the 2009 Walker Cup Team.
How about as a professional?
He's won a handful of events since turning professional in 2009 with a handicap of +4.
2014 was a banner year for Kearney as he took home three titles. He won the Irish PGA Championships at Adare Manor, The PGA Playoffs at the Sultan Golf Club in Turkey, and The Moran Cup at his home course of Royal County Dublin.
He played in the 2015 PGA Cup and, in the last singles match, holed an 8-foot putt to win his match and give Great Britain and Ireland their first PGA Cup victory in America.
What's his recent form like?
Kearney has shown decent form and finished in the top 15 in his most recent event just a few days ago.
While the likes of Lowry, Power and Harrington are still the hot favourites, don't rule out Kearney. As he's shown in the past, if he gets into contention, he knows how to get the job done.
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